NCase M1 - a crowdfunded Mini-ITX case!

Disappointed with the lack of good Mini-ITX cases, Wahaha360 and Necere from HardOCP's forum teamed up last year to design the ideal Mini-ITX case. After months of feedback from forum members and Lian Li engineers, they've come up with a preliminary design of the NCase M1.

The specifications aren't finalized yet, but the current model is a 12.59-liter box that measures 160mm x 328mm x 240mm (250mm with the feet). Designed to fit Mini-ITX motherboards as well as a standard ATX power supply, the case is roomy enough for a triple-slot graphics card of up to 317.5mm long, a processor cooler with a height of up to 105mm, four 120mm fans and one 80/92mm fan, dual 120mm radiators, three 3.5" or four 2.5" storage disks and a slim slot-loading optical drive. The case features toolless exterior panels and has a front I/O panel with two USB 3.0 ports and HD audio jacks.

The team is now seeking $3,000 via crowdfunding website Indiegogo to have two prototypes made by Lian Li, a silver and a black one. At present, the project received $1,911 in funding with still 29 days left to achieve the goal. Once the prototypes are ready, the team will further optimize the design and gather funding for a limited production run. The NCase M1 is expected to be sold for $160 to $200.